UN High Commission for Refugees discusses taking Cairo as its headquarters

Egypt's Foreign Minister Amr Moussa met yesterday with Peter Hansen, general manger of the organization of rescuing and employing the Palestinian refugees affiliated to UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency), who said after the meeting that they discussed current status of the peace process, as the activity of the organization is largely related to the developments in the area.

Hansen expressed his hope that the current negotiations can achieve a just and comprehensive peace, adding that he reviewed with Moussa the problems confronting UNRWA, as there are insufficient resources for it to play its role and uphold its responsibility toward providing services to the Palestinian refugees.

The UN High Commission for Refugees is currently discussing taking Cairo as the headquarters of the new mechanism that was specified by the UN to follow up on any sudden intensification of immigration or refugee movements, said Hani Khallaf, the assistant foreign minister for human rights affairs.

Khallaf said that Egypt, according the commission's perception, is the best country to be a headquarters for preparing the equipment and the required medical devices in such cases, adding that Soren Peterson, the assistant chairman of the commission, currently in Cairo, held talks with Foreign Minister Moussa that tackled this subject in addition to discussing the commission's task of taking care of the Palestinian and African refugees.